Container



July 20, 1943.

' G. C. ERB- CONTAINER Filed Nov. 1a, 1959 INVENTOR Y LQ.

ATTORNEY Patented July 20, 1943 UNlTEDjSTA TES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER.

George C. Erb, Forest Hills West, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y.,a corporation of New Jersey Application November 18, 1939, Serial no. 205,139 4 Claims. (01. 220-54) The present invention relates to an improvement in tearing strip key opening sheet metal cans and has particular reference to a multiple wall tearing strip formed in the can.

An object of the present inventionis the provision of a multiple wall tearing strip formed in a wall part of the can and which is set off by score lines so that the tearing strip may be removed to open the can.

Another object of theinvention is the provision of such a multiple wall tearing stripwhich is formed in a. folded or bent multiple wall section of the can and which is set oif by score lines out in adjacent walls of said bent wall sections.

Still another object is the provision of a multiple wall tearing strip of the character described wherein a folded and bent wall part of the can body contains score lines so disposed as to set off a multiple wall tearing strip in a manner to provide easy opening of the can the construction of can wall being such as to insure full available can height after the tearing strip has been removed.

A further objectiof the invention is the provision of an improved type of tearing strip formed in the body folds of a sealed sheet metal can so that the double layer tearing strip embodied in the body wall can be removed to open the can, such double construction of tearing strip adding strength and rigidity and insuring a more accurate tearing of the score lines during removal of the tearing strip.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective View of a tearing strip can embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the can of Fig. 1 drawn to an enlarged scale and taken substantially along the section lines 2-2 in that figure.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention there is shown in the drawing a can comprising a tubular can body ll having a bottom end i2 and a top end [3. The two ends may be secured to the body in the usual manner as by double seams l4. Such a can body is formed with a Side seam I5 which extends between the end seams 14 at the top and the bottom.

Can body II during its manufacture is provided with a folded or bent section l6 (Fig. 2)

joins the inner wall part I1.

which contains an inner wall part l1, an intermediate wall part 18 and an outer wall part l9. This bent and folded section may be pressed inwardly if desired so that the outside wall is flush, as illustrated in the drawing. Fo such a construction, the outer wall l9 below the folded section I6, is bent inwardly as at 2| where it That part of the outer wall it which is above the bend thereupon extends straight to the top double seam l4. The tearing strip which is disclosed in Fig. 2 as being embodied in the folded section it of the can, is designated by the numeral 22 and is set off by a score line 23 formed in the intermediate wall l8 and a score line 24 cut in the outside wall l9 adjacent the bent section 16. The outer score 24 is preferably located a slight distance above the score 23 in the intermediate wall.

The top member l3 (Fig. 2) is herein shown as being formed with the usual countersunk section tliwhere it is adjacent the double seam M.

It isthenbent inwardly at 32 thence downwar'dly'at 33 to provide a second countersunk section 34. This :form of can is known in the can manufacturing art as a double step cover and is shown as exemplary of a suitable reclosure type of cover. Obviously when the usual outside slip form of reclosure is desired, the inner countersink 34 will not be used.

Upon removal of the double Wall tearing strip 22 by breaking along the score lines 23, 24 the can will be opened. For this purpose one or both walls of the tearing strip 22 may be extended beyond the side seam l5 to provide a tearing tongue 35. It has been found that a single thickness of tearing tongue is best adapted for engagement with a slotted opening key 36 (Fig. l) which is here shown as of the conventional type so largely used in winding off the tearing strip to remove it from the body wall.

Such a key 36 may be conveniently secured to the can top l3 by welding as at 31 and is broken away from the Welded section for application to the tearing strip.

When the can is open after the tearing strip 22 has been removed, the can top I3 and the outside can wall l9 above the score line 23, which is held by the double seam l4, may be lifted out of its closin position on the can. Such a can top and the attached parts thereafter can be used as a reclosure for the can. In reclosed position, the countersunk section 34 of the can top rests inside of the inner wall part ll of the bent section of the can body.

By arranging the outside score line 24 in wall I9 slightly above the inside score line 23 in the intermediate wall l8, the double thickness of tearing strip is easily wound on the key. The parts of the can and cover, after the tearing of the metal along the score lines, present smooth surfaces on the reclosure cover as Well as on the opened can.

Byforming a tearing strip with a double or multiple wall section the strip is strengthened sufliciently to insure quick and accurate tearing of the score lines and these score sections need not be so accurately made. The double wall of the tearing strip does not interfere with rolling the strip on the opening key 36 as both layers of the strip easily bend together. Such a construc tion of can also permits the use of a narrower tearing strip and the folded section I6 of the can body does not need to extend in height as far as it would have to extend when a single thickness of tearing strip is employed. This cuts down on the necessary body height of the can for a given capacity and represents an actual saving of material cost.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A sheet metal can comprising a tubular body, top and bottom ends double seamed to said body, said body having a wall folded upon itself adjacent a said end double seam to provide a three wall thickness at the fold, and a multiple wall tearing strip formed in the outer and intermediate folds of said triple body wall and set off by a pair of spaced score lines respectively cut in said outer and intermediate folds and disposed outwardly from the line of fold therebetween, said multiple wall tearing strip being adapted for removal by breaking of the score lines in opening the can.

2. A sheet metal can comprising a tubular body, top and bottom ends secured to said body, and a multiple Wall tearing strip formed in adjacent folded wall portions of said body and set off by a pair of spaced score lines, one of said score lines being disposed in the outer of said folded body wall portions slightly above the inner of said score lines disposed in the adjacent inner of said folded body wall portions, said tearing strip being adapted for removal in opening the can.

3. A sheet metal can comprising a tubular body having a folded body wall extending circumferentially and forming a surrounding body portion of at least two layers, one of said layers being exterior to the body, said exterior layer having a free edge, an end member secured to the free edge of said layer and forming a closure for said body, and a score line out in each layer parallel to and spaced from the line of fold, said score lines setting off a double Wall tearing strip adapted for removal to open the can by separating said end member from said body.

4. A sheet metal can comprising a tubular body having top and bottom end members secured thereto and forming closures therefor, said tubular body intermediate said top and bottom end membershaving a folded body Wall extending circumferentially and forming a surrounding body portion of at least two layers adjacent one end of said body, one of said layers being exterior to the body at that end, and score lines in both layers of said body portion being parallel to and spaced from the line of fold in substantially the same plane, aid score lines setting off a folded double thickness tearing strip having a part located in each of said body layers, said folded tearing strip being adapted for removal when broken along said' score lines to open the can and to separate a said end member from said body. 7

GEORGE C. ERB. 

